The present invention generally relates to processing of raw meat into a very low-fat meat having excellent functionality, as well as to meat products of the fat-free variety. More particularly, the present invention transforms high-fat raw meat materials into a low-fat or so-called no-fat meat product which is highly functional, being suitable for use as a finished product and which has the ability to be molded, extruded and/or stuffed into a shape to provide finished food products which can be cooked, cured or otherwise processed as desired.
The level of fat included in diets is of concern in many channels, particularly with respect to meat products or foods which contain animal-originating meat components. Meat food products are available which fall into the generally low-fat category. In the past, it has been considered to be satisfactory if the fat content of an uncooked raw meat supply is within a general magnitude on the order of about 10 weight percent or even 5 weight percent. While fat percentages of this general magnitude for raw meat materials represent a substantial step toward reducing the intake of fat for those who consume products made from this reduced-fat raw material, it would be beneficial to provide a highly functional fat-reduced meat raw material having a much lower fat content.
Awareness of fat intake has led consumers to value highly those food sources which are relatively low in fat or have virtually no fat content. Traditionally, many meat products have been perceived by certain groups as being products that are relatively high in fat content. Various techniques have made available meat products having fat percentages of 5% or less, such as at the 1% to 4% by weight level of fat in the meat product. Examples are turkey breast products which can achieve fat levels at the lower values of these ranges.
Consumer perception has developed along these lines to the extent that there is a desire to have even these relatively low fat percentages reduced further, ideally to arrive at a fat-free condition or a nominally fat-free condition. For example, current guidelines which are followed by the USDA permit many packaged meat products to be labeled as "fat-free" provided the amount of fat in the packaged slice meat or sausage product is less than 0.5 gram of fat per 55 grams, which is less than 0.91% by weight of the total packaged meat product. Such a product is thus properly designated as "free" of fat, and nutritional labelling properly specifies a zero ("0") as the reported fat content. Accordingly, there is an important need for meat products having a fat content which meets these zero, or nominal zero levels.
At times, raw meat materials having lowered fat contents are made available by procedures which include specially trimming raw meat cuts. These lower fat meat materials are relatively expensive and often are not readily available in volumes which would be suitable for extended use in mass-produced foods. In addition, such products can be highly labor-intensive. Certain fat-free meat products which meet governmental guidelines as discussed above have been commercialized on a production-scale basis. Typically, these are fat-free turkey and chicken whole muscle (often breast) products. Other fat-free products have been formulated from traditionally higher fat content sources. Such products can include reformulation in order to reduce fat levels by the inclusion of non-meat components which generally dilute the fat present in the meat which is included within the batter, grind or emulsion from which such a product is formed. It is often the case that these types of fat-free products, when subjected to taste tests, score significantly lower than corresponding products which are not of the fat-free variety.
Certain approaches in the past have been proposed for processing a high-fat meat supply into one that is of reduced fat content. Often, these types of procedures include cooking, grinding and centrifuging as a basic approach for separating a fat-rich phase from another phase having a lower fat content. The phase having a lower fat content typically contains lean fractions which had become denatured during processing, and the functionality of this phase often is reduced substantially, rendering it unsuitable and/or undesirable for use in many applications. Also, approaches such as these often do not provide a functional, reduced fat meat having a fat percentage on the order of the low-fat or no-fat products which are the subject of the present invention.
The present invention addresses the need for reduced fat meat which has an exceptionally low fat content so as to qualify as having a zero reported fat content, even including pork, while at the same time not being denatured to any significant extent in order to thereby provide a highly functional meat product which is exceptionally low in fat content. It is especially desirable that a fat-reduced raw meat material be provided which makes possible the preparation of finished meat products or meat-containing products such as patties, sausages, wieners, luncheon meats and formed meat products. Substantial progress along these lines has been made by approaches such as that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,444, incorporated hereinto by reference. By following this approach, it has been possible to provide valuable undenatured and very low-fat meat products. However, when it comes to certain meat sources, such as pork, it has not been possible heretofore to consistently achieve a fat content for meats such as pork which is low enough to meet the objectives of the present invention.